When You Need to Justify Your Project Manager Role

Project management is often viewed as overhead, which is a typical target when cost cutting is in the air. As a result, you might find yourself in the uncomfortable position of justifying your role as project manager. Here are several approaches you can use to educate leaders about the value of project management and skilled project managers.

Dispel managers’ fears. Managers typically have two big concerns about project management: its cost and that it will take more time. Start by pointing out that most organizations assign team leaders within a department to coordinate tasks, assign roles, and review results. Then, explain that project management is essentially the same, except it works across many departments and with a variety of stakeholders.

Correct the impression that line managers can manage projects. Organizations sometimes turn to line managers to deliver projects. It rarely works. First, line managers are already too busy. They are easily distracted from project management duties by their operational leadership requirements, which are ongoing and often urgent. In addition, line managers might not be perceived as objective: they might favor their technical area and management goals in their project decisions. Finally, line managers are rarely trained in project management techniques, which is the focus of the next point.

Emphasize the importance of training and experience. Remind leaders that the organization screens job candidates based on their education and experience, calling references to verify candidates’ claims. Given the expense and business value that projects add, why not evaluate project managers in the same way? Focus on project management education and verify project delivery experience and results. Doing so increases the chance that projects are successful. 

Stress the cost of project failure. According to Projectsmart, the average cost of a failed IT project is $12,000,000 (https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-real-costs-of-failed-projects.php). And that figure doesn’t include the opportunity cost of benefits that weren’t realized. While that statistic doesn’t represent every industry, it demonstrates the substantial cost of project failure in real dollars and lost benefits. Remind leaders that its good business to invest in activities that increase the probability of success. Embracing and improving project management helps protect the money and time invested in projects and ensure that those projects deliver the outcomes they’re supposed to.

If you have had to justify project management or your role as project manager, what techniques have you used? What worked and what didn’t?

For more about the value of project management, check out the LinkedIn Learning Become a Project Manager learning path.

Coming Up

LinkedIn Office Hours Session- Communication Tips for Challenging Situations

Remote work looks like it’s here to stay and that means effective communication is more important than ever. Bonnie Biafore and Tatiana Kolovou, professor in the Indiana University Kelly School of Business, will talk about how to apply communication theory to everyday situations. Some of the topics we will cover include handling resistance to your ideas, responding when caught off guard, being a strong listener in a virtual setting, and more.

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